Work overtime

Chapter 703

When Li Beichen saw Meng Xiang, he was shirtless, carrying a whip on his back. His usually proud head was now lowered, and he knelt on the ground with a look of shame on his face.

Meng Xiang was very white, with thick chest hair, which could not cover the dense scars on his chest and back. These scars were left when Meng Xiang fought on the battlefield.

When he took off the wicker basket, a long scar on his back was revealed. It was when the former emperor was fighting against the Tatars and was stabbed by the enemy in order to save the former emperor.

Li Beichen's eyes were complicated.

He had heard that Prime Minister Meng had divorced his wife early in the morning. He underestimated the rationality and decisiveness of this prime minister of two dynasties. He thought that Prime Minister Meng would come to beg for mercy, asking him to pardon Meng Ran or Mrs. Meng.

The Prime Minister Meng in front of him was in his early forties, with a strong body, six-pack abs, and muscular arms. He was as brave and strong as he was, exuding the strength of a cheetah from head to toe.

Those scars were the testimony of his bloody battles for the country's peace and vast territory. Especially the scar on his back, which was like a medal, proving his loyalty to the late emperor and this country.

"Meng Qing," Li Beichen's voice was a little heavy, "Why are you doing this?"

Meng Xiang buried his head even lower.

"Your Majesty, I failed to manage the harem properly, and I cannot deny my fault for doing such a rebellious thing. I know the seriousness of this matter, and I have already beaten the people to death, divorced Wang, and sent her back to her parents' home. Even if I die a hundred times, I cannot atone for this sin, and I am willing to accept any punishment."

Li Beichen sighed, "Meng Zhao was missing her family in the palace. I loved her, so I took her back to the palace to visit her family. Who knew that she would lose the heir overnight? Is Zhao'er okay now?"

Prime Minister Meng was unsure of Li Beichen's intention, and was also undecided whether to be frank with the emperor.

Since abortion was inevitable, he had secretly made the fetus into a medicine last night and gave the antidote to Zhao'er. He only hoped that after this, he could really save his daughter's life as the mysterious man said.

He was secretly worried that the mysterious man might be playing tricks on them again and again in order to take revenge on them.

Even if such a cruel and bloody medicine is used, it may not be able to detoxify them, or it may not be necessary to use this medicine at all. It's just killing people and torturing them.

The other party was in the dark, and they were in the light. They were led step by step by the other party.

He thought about it all night last night but couldn't come up with a solution to the problem.

Meng Xiang came back to his senses under the emperor's gaze, "Your Majesty, Zhao'er is much better after a good sleep."

Li Beichen frowned slightly, "According to the law, those who plot to murder the heir to the throne, both the principal offender and the accomplice, shall be sentenced to death. Your wives and concubines shall all be executed. I consider that you have always been loyal, that you were not the mastermind of this matter, and that you are Zhao'er's father, so I can let you off. But this matter must be explained.

I have decided that Meng Ran will be beaten to death for his disobedience and unfilial behavior, and all the concubines in the Meng Mansion will be ordained at Jing'an Temple to practice and pray for blessings. Without the emperor's order, they cannot leave Jing'an Temple for life. The maids and servants will all be exiled to the army.

As for Meng Qing, from now on, you will no longer serve as the prime minister of the court. From now on, you will be appointed as the Dragon and Tiger General. In seven days, you will go to Fujian Commandery to serve as the commander, training the navy to lead the fight against the Japanese pirates. I will marry the third daughter of Cao Shen, the Imperial Academy Scholar, as your successor wife. The marriage will be completed today and you will accompany me to Fujian."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your forgiveness. I obey your command." Prime Minister Meng kowtowed.

He thought hard all night last night, could it be a trap set by the emperor? Although he was extremely suspicious, he finally denied it. They were all his bedmates, and he knew their personalities very well. What happened yesterday was definitely done by them.

In the past, I thought it was troublesome and turned a blind eye to these things in the backyard. It's impossible to treat them equally. There is only one gun. If one has one more, the other has one less. There is nothing I can do.

Li Beichen sighed, "Meng Qing, don't worry. Zhao'er is a good girl, and she is sincere to me. I will take good care of her. You deal with the Japanese pirates in the southeast for me, and I will not treat your legitimate son Meng Qing badly. After this period of time, I will make an arrangement for Meng Bai."

Meng Bai was the second son of Meng Xiang.

"Thank you, my lord." Meng Xiang was so grateful that he shed tears and knocked his head on the golden brick with a crisp sound.

This time, my thanks came from the bottom of my heart.

At last, Li Beichen suddenly called out faintly, "General Meng."

This kind of address made Meng Xiang feel warm in his heart. It had been a long time since anyone called him that. His title had been "Meng Xiang" for a long time.

However, his favorite days were the days when he followed the late emperor on the battlefield, inspecting troops, galloping on horseback, and bravely killing the enemy.

That was his passion and excitement.

Compared to prime minister, he wanted to be a general.

"I'm here." Prime Minister Meng said with a solemn expression and bowed.

"The current situation is complicated. You must be careful and cautious when you go to Fujian," Li Beichen looked into the distance, "I told you last night. The Baili people are trying to disrupt the court and take revenge on you and the royal family. They want to destroy your family and change the royal family. Prime Minister Meng, you have a heavy responsibility on your shoulders, so be careful in everything you do."

"I will not refuse even if I die." Meng Xiang's words were powerful.

Li Beichen suddenly asked, "Prime Minister, if the Baili tribe destroys your family and makes you suffer, will you regret it?"

Meng Xiang shook his head firmly, "Opening up new territories and unifying the north and the south is my lifelong wish. Even if I die, I will not regret it."

"Okay." Li Beichen's eyes were serious.

On this point, he agrees with Meng.

It would be best if peaceful reunification could be achieved. If not, even if the country is razed to the ground, lives are lost, and families are retaliated against, it will not be possible to stop the process of national reunification.

Meng Xiang's eyes were full of gratitude. This punishment was already the lightest.

The emperor did not deprive him of his title, nor did he kill all his wives and concubines. Instead, he gave him a new identity, a new family, a new mission, and started a new journey.

"General Meng, I'm waiting for your good news."

Meng Xiang raised his head and looked deeply at the emperor, saluted, and put the wicker basket back on his back. With respect and guilt in his eyes, he turned and left the hall, his steps steady and vigorous.

Li Beichen stood there quietly, looking at Meng Xiang's back as he walked away. He looked particularly tall and strong in the morning light. The thorn basket he carried behind him looked like a sword.

Suddenly I felt that this was what it meant to be a sharp sword. The concubines who were still discussing who would be the new mistress of the Meng Mansion in the morning were all dumbfounded when they received the imperial edict that they would be sent to Jing'an Temple to practice.

Just now, she had mocked Madam Meng for living with the ancient Buddha and the green lamp in the future, but now, she followed him in. Moreover, she went in first and was given priority in the spacious and bright courtyard. They had to squeeze together in the meditation room.

Some could not hold back any longer and fell to the ground crying while holding a box full of exquisite and valuable pearl hairpins and jewelry.

I will have no hair in the future and will just be wearing woolen clothes.

When the eunuchs from the palace came to the Meng residence to announce the decree, Meng Zhao had not yet left. Hearing that his mother was divorced and would spend the rest of her life in Jing'an Temple, and that his father was going to marry someone new and take up a post in Fujian, Meng Zhao burst into tears.

Her mind was filled with three words: Why???
Why did the emperor treat her and her mother like this? It had nothing to do with her mother. It was all Chanjuan's fault, Feng's fault, and the fault of Aunt Yao who wanted to harm her.

What does it have to do with her mother? !

Fortunately, Mrs. Meng had already gone to Jing'an Temple, so she avoided the heart-wrenching confrontation.

After getting dressed, Meng Xiang looked at his grief-stricken daughter lovingly. Such a simple and naive girl had to marry into the palace just because she fell in love with the emperor at first sight.

Isn't it good to marry an ordinary family? Because of his status as prime minister, she has to walk sideways.

But she didn't.

Maybe this is fate.

"Zhao'er, Daddy is going to Fujian from now on, and I don't know when I will see you again. You must take good care of yourself in the palace. Don't be willful. Daddy only reminds you of one thing, the emperor is the emperor. You are his concubine, but he is not your husband. Do you understand?"

Meng Zhao shook her head with tears in her eyes. She didn't understand, she had married the emperor, why was he not her husband?

Meng Xiang originally wanted to say something to his silly daughter, but when he looked at Liang Xiaobao with his eyelids drooping beside him, he swallowed all his words.

"It doesn't matter if you don't understand. As long as Daddy fights bravely, the Emperor will treat you well."

Meng Zhao started crying again.

"Don't cry, be obedient," Meng Xiang coaxed gently. He reached out to wipe the tears from his daughter's face. "After you return to the palace, you must get along well with Concubine Ning and spend more time with her. She will protect you."

"Why would she protect me? Why should I need her to protect me?" Meng Zhao asked unconvinced.

Even if daddy is no longer the prime minister, his title is still there. She is the eldest daughter of a marquisate, why should she need others to protect her!
Meng Xiang smiled bitterly, looked at Liang Xiaobao, and handed him two gold bars.

"Eunuch Liang, Zhao'er has been spoiled by me and her mother since she was a child. She has a simple personality and she still doesn't understand many things. Please take care of her in the future, Eunuch Liang."

"Your Majesty, you are too polite. It is my duty to work for the Emperor. Your Majesty is thinking so much about Concubine Zhen. Concubine Zhen is so lucky." Liang Xiaobao smiled and rejected the gold bar that was handed to him.

The two of them were speaking in jargon, and Meng Zhao didn't understand a word of it. Meng Xiang also noticed that she didn't understand.

He prayed secretly, hoping that the emperor would be nicer to Meng Zhao because she was a silly girl who loved him wholeheartedly.

On the way back to the palace, Meng Zhao couldn't help crying again.

But she instinctively covered her mouth and cried, trying not to cry out loud.

The events of the past two days kept replaying in her mind, as if in a dream, leaving her at a loss as to what to do.

The departure of her loved ones was like a storm, and she didn’t know how to say goodbye.

She casually lifted the curtain of the sedan. Outside, the market was bustling with people, and the faces of ordinary people were filled with sincere smiles. She suddenly felt a little envious.

When she returned to Changchun Palace and had just finished packing, the imperial edict promoting her to the rank of Defei arrived.

The maids around her carefully congratulated and comforted her, saying that the emperor cared about her.

In the past, she had always dreamed of being promoted to the rank of Four Concubines. Now that she had suddenly gotten it, she felt depressed and would rather have a child than this promotion.

She touched her empty belly and felt sad, not happy at all.

Although Meng Zhao was promoted, few people dared to come to visit and congratulate him. If he made a mistake, he would be regarded as a spectator and ridiculed. It would be better not to do it.

But I still have to come.

For example, the noble lady Fang from the same palace came as soon as possible.

Concubine Fang greeted as usual, and then asked, "How is your Majesty? Do you need me to do anything? Help me boil some medicine or something, I can do it."

Meng Zhao laughed. Lady Fang was too complicated. She couldn't understand her.

If he says he is loyal, he often carelessly sings the opposite tune and causes trouble; if he says he is not loyal, he often stands up for her and protects her. Just like when he said he would watch her boil the medicine, he was not sure what he meant.

She was too lazy to deal with it, so she replied calmly, "I'm fine. My sister is thoughtful. Qingying is busy in the palace."

"Your Highness knows me. I can't talk. It's all because of your support that I am where I am today. I only hope to have a chance to repay you."

Meng Zhao nodded slightly, "I'm glad that my sister has this intention. I can't protect you now. You should be prudent in what you say and do."

"I will keep it in mind. Sister, you know me. It doesn't matter whether I am favored or not. I just hope I can live like this now."

Meng Zhao said coldly, "You can get by if you keep your mouth shut."

"I know I was wrong. I will never do it again." Concubine Fang responded meekly.

After Concubine Fang left, it was Concubine Xie who came.